Max and me

Ch. 49- Ice Meme

*Danielle's POV

I wish Liam were here to help me get Madison out of her shell. It's been one week since Madison came home. Niall, Louis, Liam, Harry and Zayn were supposed to be in America for some charity concerts from the seventh to the twentieth, but they got canceled.

Liam can't be here anyway. The boys went off for a while to celebrate Zayn's birthday. Today is January twelfth, of course, because it's Zayn's birthday. Today will be my first day at a new gym. I'm going to drop Max and Madison off at the gyms' daycare, and spend an hour working out.

I'm already dressed. I'm wearing pink runners, black VS shorts, and a neon pink tank top. A white sports bra, and a high ponytail finish the look. I had to put on sweats over my shorts though. If I went outside in shorts, I'd be a Popsicle in minutes.

"Ready to go?" I asked Max, knowing he'd answer. "Yes mum." He said, dropping his toys. "Ready Maddie?" I asked, giving her a chance to say her first words. She shrugged, looking down at her burned arms. "Do you want mummy to change your bandages?" I asked her, crouching down.

She shook her head no. "Okay." I sighed, plucking her from the floor. "Can you get your coat and boots on?" I asked Max. "Yup." Said Max, grabbing his winter gear. "Thanks baby." I smiled at him. He gave me a cheesy grin back. "Okay, let's get your coat on." I told Madison, as I gently placed her in the wheelchair.

Today Max and Madison are wearing coordinating outfits again. Max is wearing dark jeans, with a yellow dinosaur t-shirt. Maddie is wearing dark jeans and a yellow sunflower t-shirt. I packed them both some sneakers to wear in the daycare, so they don't have no run around in their socks.

I got Madison dressed in her winter clothing, and helped Max zip his jacket. Max opened the front door for me, and I wheeled Madison out. Taking a deep breath, I said "Let's go."

**

"Names?" Asked the bored looking old woman. "Madison, and Max Payne. Payne is P-a-y-"

"I can spell Payne." Said the daycare woman, scribbling my kids' names on the daycare signup. "How long are we taking care of your little devils?" Asked the fifty year old. "They're not devils!" I exclaimed, "They're angels!" She woman rolled her eyes, "How long are we watching your... Angels?" She asked sarcastically.

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes, "You'll be watching them for an hour," I told her, "But it better not be you taking care of my kids. You seem grumpy." She shrugged to herself, "I really don't care what you think. I'm just the front desk secretary." She told me. "Whatever." I mumbled, paying the woman.

"Thank-you for your business." She told me, giving me a large, fake smile. I turned on my heel. "Thank you for your business." I muttered to myself. "I help?" Asked Max, reaching up to push Madison's wheelchair. "Maybe later," I told him, "I think you're a little small to reach the handles."

"Okay." Max sighed, settling to walk beside Madison. "Here we are," I said, pushing the door open to the daycare. "Whoa!" Max exclaimed, his eyes widening at the selection of colorful toys. Even Madison's face lit up. "Hello," Said a perky blonde, placing herself in front of the wheelchair. "Uh, hi." I said awkwardly.

"I'm Blythe Rivera. I run this daycare. I'm afraid your daughter can't be in here." Blythe told me, a huge 'crest-white-strip' grin on her face. "Why not?" I asked, offended. Max crossed his arms in defense of his little sister, "Yah. Why not?" Asked Max, stepping forward.

"No wheelchairs aloud." She told me, pointing to the sign. "Who the hell would deny disabled children the joy of daycare?" I exclaimed, glaring at Blythe. "I'm sorry miss, but I suppose some people can't handle taking care of their 'disabled' children, and they never pick them up. Then we're left responsible for the kids."

"What do you mean?" I asked. She sighed, crossing her arms over her breasts. "I mean, disabled children are hard to care for. They're expensive too. Some parents drop their children off here with fake names, and never come back for them. It happens." I shook my head, muttered curse words to myself.

"She's not actually disabled," I argued, "She was in a house-fire, and has burned arms. She can't walk yet, so she crawls. She can't crawl with her delicate burned arms. Hence, wheelchair." Blythe didn't even blink.
"She's still in a wheelchair," claimed Blythe, "And I'm afraid the daycare isn't wheelchair safe. We have no wheelchair ramps. Wheelchairs are a danger to other children. And I presume your one year old daughter can't wheel herself around with her oh so burned arms. I'm going to ask you and your family to leave."

"No!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms in the air. "I paid to be here, and I wasn't told of any 'no wheelchair' rule by the woman at the sign-up desk. Please, let me leave my children here for a while. I just want to get some work-out time in." Blythe shook her head, and pointed to the door. "Buh-bye." She told me.

"Your mean." Max told Blythe. "And this is an ugly daycare, anyway." I said, sticking my tongue out at Blythe, and turning around. "Yeah," Max agreed, "Really ugly." Max repeated, and turned around to follow me out. Well, Max has some sass on him. I pushed the daycare door open, and wheeled Madison out.

Max followed close behind me. "Do you guys want to go out for ice cream?" I asked my kids, feeling bad that they're not aloud in the daycare. "Yes!" Max exclaimed. "Do you want ice meme?" Max asked Madison, running ahead to see her face. Madison nodded her head 'yes' at Max.

"Maddie wants some ice meme." Max told me.

I smiled, "You're a good big brother," I told Max, "A really good big brother."

**

"Mmm, mmm, mmm!" Max exclaimed, eating the cherry off the top of the ice cream scoop.

"It that yummy?" I asked Max, knowing he'd say yes. "Yup!" Max exclaimed, taking another lick. "It yours yummy?" I asked Maddie, as I fed her another bite. She offered a small nod. I smiled, and gave her another bite. I figured I shouldn't get any ice cream. I was going to the gym to lose weight, not get ice cream and gain some.

"So, what do you two want to do after this?" I asked. "Go home." Said Max, taking another lick of his chocolate ice cream. "Do you want to go home, too?" I asked Madison. She shrugged, opening her mouth for another bite of ice cream. I gave her another strawberry bite.

"Maybe we can watch a movie?" I suggested. "Woody movie!" Max exclaimed, eyes widening. "Watch the Woody movie!" He exclaimed again. "Okay, okay," I said, trying to calm him down, "We can watch the Woody movie." He grinned, and took a bite out of his ice cream cone.

I'm still really angry with the two-daycare women. They are discriminating, and mean, and rude, and bitter. I'm never going back there again. I can leave Max and Madison with Eleanor, or Perrie, or Violet.

"I love you two," I told my two beautiful children. "I really do."